The Calling
by Nainari
Summary: AU- Umi never expected that a normal ritual performing could end so badly. She finds herself challenging her believes about her oh so called enemies.
1. Know your enemy

**_So… this is a new story, please note that I'm not abandoning Love Define Us, it's just right now I'm dealing with some stuff that interfere with my ability to write something as light as LDU. I intend to post a new chapter for LDU next week._**

**_Please note this story is going to be very dark. I ask of you dear reader to keep an open mind to whatever you read here._**

**_See you at the bottom line :)_**

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**The Calling**

**Chapter 1- Know your enemy**

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A beautiful blue haired maiden walked down the road every step she took full of determination, even though the moon light barely showed the way. A cape covered her entire frame; she looked up and noticed the gray clouds covering the moon. _A very dangerous moment to perform the ritual,_ she thought, _but the Order make it clear it needed to be done today._ Silently she cursed her luck and wondered when the Order will give her a rest. She already knew the answer, but she allowed herself to hope. She could feel her body demanding more than two hour sleep before going to another place and perform a new ritual. _When was the last time I eat?_ Trying to remember, she failed to notice the shadow walking behind the trees a couple of feet behind her.

Giving up on the memory, she muses over the fact that the attacks from monsters and Deabru became more frequent. This make everyone in the Order to work harder, however the newest members were unable to hold more than one ritual per month, making the senior members to work on their own and receive more rituals to perform. Even so she was different than most seniors since she was able to hold a ritual every two days with almost no resting time or sustain. The house were the ritual would be perform was in her line of sight after the turn. She stopped for a minute, evaluating her possibilities of coming out the very least alive. _After this I will ask for a two day break._ She promised herself, although deep inside she knew that she would never ask for them if the Deabru start to show themselves more and more. Monsters were quite easy to control, but when a Debru was involve, the odds to survive were greatly reduce.

Observing the house, she noticed how creepy it appeared to be. There was only one light turned on; if she would take a guess would be the living room light. Something deep inside asked her to turn around and run, till her body collapse. Breathing slowly she continued down the road, rising her barriers up and losing her relaxing posture. The shadow smirked and took a detour to get ready for this little maiden.

A chill ran thru her body, gasping for air, she stopped in the middle of the road. _Maybe I should just return with someone else, I have a bad feeling about this._ Placing a hand over her heart, she was ready to turn around when the door open, revealing a tall and very thin man. She embraced herself for what was about to happen, she knew once the client saw you, there was not turning back. The first step of the ritual was taken.

"Welcome, Ritari" the man said, stepping away from the door in a sign for her to come inside.

She only nod and stepped inside the house, the chill becoming a permanent cold inside her bones. She masked her uneasiness and proceeded to the living room. Taking her cape off, her white simple dress is revealed. Sitting down in the only chair in the room was a little girl with a mocking smile. That smile didn't belong there. Umi though to herself that back when she was free of this curse the girl would have look so beautiful. Sitting down in front of the girl, she focused all her energy solely on her. Giving a quick check to her barriers, she closed her eyes to examine the damage done by the monster in the girl's soul. Her body started to emanate a bluish glow, the mocking smile in the girl suddenly gone. Umi raised her right hand slowly and with her index finger touch the forehead of the little girl. The light of the room started to fade, until nothing but darkness enclosed them. Umi opened her eyes, the girl now lying down on the floor, a pale white light emanating from her. _Good girl,_ Umi thought, _keep fighting a little longer please._ Around the girl's body there were brownish ribbons that were cutting thru the skin. Umi got up and place a hand over the cheek of the girl.

"Let my strength fortify yours." Umi aloud herself to smile when the girl's eyelids start to quiver, a sound coming from the darkness remind her that this was far from over.

Standing up, she gave a last look to the girl before walking towards the sound. There were faint brown ribbons that started to crumble and disappear. A tall silhouette started to be appear in front of her, red eyes shining in the middle of the darkness. She recognized the thread to be a lower one, since it wasn't able to pull a predetermined form. Rising her hand a small ball of light form at the end, she sent it against the monster, with that cutting the bond between the host and the monster. Closing her eyes again, she focused on the living room. Taking a deep breath and opening her eyes once again, she found herself in the same position, her finger still on the girl's forehead. Seeing fearful honey eyes, she smiled.

"It's alright, you are safe now". The girl eyes wide even more.

"I know you," the girl said in a whisper "you are the lady he showed me."

"You know me?" The girl nod and Umi bad feeling started to rise again. Turning around to find the father of the girl, she made sure her tone leaved no room to discussion. "She is safe from harm now, but you must go away from here. My protection will be enough to let you go to the nearest sanctuary of my Order."

The man held the little girl on his arms and ran away from the house. Umi prayed for the father to be strong enough to keep running like that. She wanted to run with them, but knew she needed to hold back the Deabru behind this. The wind carried soft whispers with her name; the feeling of someone wrapping their hands to the very core of her soul filled her. She fought the feeling, her glow pulsating with the rhythm of her heart. Her body unresponsive to her mind, started to drag her around the house. Panic formed in her mind as she passes different hallways with blurry faces behind the walls. Whispers fill the air with pleas and words full of fury and pain. Clutching to the door way, she close her eyes and tried to ignore the whispers that seems to whisk against her skin.

Gasping for air, she ran toward the only exit she can see from the house. _Stop!_ She commands in her mind. The agony and sorrow of the whispers reaching her heart, tears ran freely down the face. Her barriers started to suffer under the power of this Deabru. _Hopeless._ It's the only word that her mind supplied for her at the sight of a legion of monsters waiting for her in the backyard. She dropped to her knees and pushes her barriers forward. Some started to hit the barrier, but she reminded there, merely observing the crowd. _Hopeless, Umi. I will never survive this._ Lying down on the floor, her body demanding some kind of rest, she closed her eyes and fall into a restless slumber.

The shadow steps out of the tree line and moves closer to her. _Soon you will be mine._ He nods slowly; a couple of monsters moved toward the barrier and hit it.

She waked up with a scream, running her hands along her neck and shoulders. _I'm alright,_ she assured herself, _it was only a nightmare._ A new assault at her barrier, made her move back until she hits the wall. _Think Umi! I need to reduce my barrier if I want to hold for a little bit longer._ Breathing in, the bluish glassy barrier around her started to reduce. She attempted to get up, but failed. The ritual drained most of her physical energy.

"Stop please," she begged with a sob "leave me alone."

She realized how stupid her own words sounded when they just laughed. Tears trailed down her cheeks. _I will not cry, if I die today I will do it without weakness._ Cleaning her tears away, she embraced her legs and laid her head on her knees. The Deabru frowned at her reaction, with a move of his hand he commands the weakest monsters to go away. He grinned when he saw her head lift up. Their eyes met a clear challenge in his emerald eyes that clashed with the determination of her sapphire ones. They both knew her power was reaching the limit, she soon would be without protection against him. She rested her head again in her knees. _I'm sorry I couldn't survive this Fuu, Hikaru._ She prayed in her mind. Tighten the grip around herself, she came to peace with her strength not being enough to kept fighting. The barrier disappeared and she fell into unconsciousness.

The green eyed Deabru came closer to her petite body, lifted her up and hold her close to his body. A smirk appeared on his face, he summoned black smoke to surround both, taking her to his den.

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**_Let me know what you think about it, if you see any mistakes please do tell me and I will fix it as soon as I can._**

**_Questions, reviews and critics are very welcome._**

**_Nai_**


	2. Suffocating Darkness

**So... I want to start by saying... HAPPY BDAY BLUE! I hope you enjoy it...**

**I have a very interesting time with this story and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter...**

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**Chapter 2**

**Suffocating Darkness**

The room was painted in what seemed ever shade of blue that existed. The dark sapphire curtains were close and the room was poorly lightened by some pale blue candles. In the middle of the room the bed was placed, navy blue sheets linger on top of Umi, her baby blue hair was spread over the pillows, her face showed a small smile and she was hugging one of the pillows. She stretched her body as she started to wake up. Closing and opening her eyes, she stared to the dark ceiling with some constellations painting on it. Frowning at the strange room, fussy memories started to go thru her mind. Panic started to rise, moving her arms towards her face, she felt them heavier, her eyes widen to the sight of two silver bracelets around her wrist. Sitting up with some trouble, she took hold of the left bracelet and tried to take it off, but as soon as the bracelet past the middle of her hand a soft tickle made her stop.

"I wouldn't do that, love" a silky voice told her, turning her head to see the owner she brought her arms to her chest. "They are for your protection".

His emerald eyes were staring right at her sapphire ones; her breath became difficult to keep. Taking small breathes, she fought the need of her body to lie down again and sleep and instead she urged her powers to rise up to attack the Deabru that was sitting on an armchair in front of her. A sharp pain filled her, and she fall onto the bed her lips gave out a silent scream, her vision became blurry. She was barely aware of him coming closer.

"Relax, love. Call your powers back, no one is going to hurt you" His voice sounded comforting and as she called her powers back, the pain became less. "That's it, love" he caressed her face and settled her in a more comfortable position. He reached for a glass with water in the nightstand, raising her head and coaxing her to drink.

Umi felt her body relaxing, his hand moving her hair from her face. She trembled; her brain trying to figure out this… _tenderness…_ the Deabru was showing to her. He chuckled and moved away when she started trembling. Sitting again on the armchair close to her bed, he waited for her to regain her composure. _This is a dream, right?_ Umi said to herself. _In any minute I will wake up in one of the Order's cold rooms…_ closing her eyes hard till it hurt, she tried to reassure herself about it. She tried to feel the unforgivable hard wood under her body rather than the softness of the bed, the rough sheets covering her body instead of the gentle caress of the silk sheets and the cold that was always present on the rooms. But none of that happen; she was neither cold nor sore. Panic rose again, holding the sheets to her chest; she sat up, eying the Deabru in front of her. She noticed his messy brownish hair, his bangs almost covering his emerald eyes, a smirk played in his thin rosy lips, and she assumed that he was taller than her. His black clothes were simple but elegant; the shirt got some intricate green designs. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly close it. The Debru seemed rather entertained; she frowned and promised herself to show no fear from now on.

"Feeling better?" Umi nodded slowly watching him move around the room. He reached for a small conceal door in the wall to the right side of the bed. He took a beautiful satin long dress and put it at the end of the bed. "Your bathroom is thru that door" with a snap of his fingers a door on the left side open up. "We will talk more, after you take a bath".

He sat at the armchair and took a book that was place on the table near by. Umi was lost about what to do next… for all she know this was not what she should be expecting of a Deabru. _Let us be practical,_ Umi thought. Sliding down the bed, she took the dress and ran inside the bathroom. She didn't notice the smirk playing on the Deabru face. Closing the door behind her, she gasped at the view. _Maybe I'm really dreaming…_ she placed the dress on top of a chair with towels next to the bathtub and quickly discarded her white dress. Carefully she dived inside the bathtub, enjoying the hot water relaxing her muscles. Closing her eyes, a hand resting on her forehead, she let her mind drift to the situation she was.

_So… I'm being held by a Deabru that seems to have no intention on hurting me…_ she frowned… _though is unheard that a Deabru to take a Ritari,_ eying the bracelets she concentrated her powers trying to fragment it. A burning sensation initiated on her wrist but she ignored it, freeing more power against it till white spots entered her vision, she called back her powers and breathed slowly calming her racing heart. _So bracelets let me gave out a small but harmless quantity of power, but when I get over it cause me pain… Just my luck…_ she groaned and got out of the bathtub, she needed to know why she was here and who that Deabru was. Taking a towel from the chair, she was amaze with how soft the towel felt against her skin. Drying her hair quickly, she looked down to her white dress. Picking it up, she realized how old the dress was, folding it carefully she set it down in the chair and wear the new dress. She walked into the room; the Deabru was sitting on the same place. She raised an eyebrow to him, he smirked leaving the book on the table and walking to stand in front of her.

"You look beautiful, love" he took her hand and kissed it gently; she frowned and moved her hand away.

"What am I doing here?" she said in a harsh tone.

"You are here…" he paused and caressed her cheek, "to teach me."

"Teach you what?" she moved away from him. He only grinned at her.

"A lot of things love" he sat down at the end of the bed, "but we will discuss that later on, for now you only need to know that this is your room, I will bring you food everyday and you will answer every question I have for you. It's pretty simple; as long as I find you useful, you are safe." He chuckled when he saw the anger in her eyes. "Umi," she gasped at his use of her name "don't make me ever get mad at you… I would hate to have to punish you."

"How do you know my name?"

"There are a lot of things I know about you…" he got up and moved towards the door. "Then again, there are a lot of things you know about me." Seeing her confused face, he opened the door and turned around, not wanting to loose the expression on her face. "You know me as Ascot, Master of the Shadows."

Smirking at the terror on her face, he got out and closed the door. In the mean time, Umi was trying to remember how to breathe properly. _That's it… I don't even have a chance…_ She recognized that name; it was one of the five names every Ritari learn by heart. The Order had a very specific instruction when any of that five Deabru was involved, you were never ever under any circumstance confront them. They were more powerful and ancient than the Order itself. _I'm so death…_

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**_If you see any misteakes please let me know... I probably have like a dozen lol I hope I'm merely exagereting..._**

**_I will be waiting for your reviews and comments._**

**_Nai_**


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